When we launched MSPmentor back in 2008, a lot of managed services providers (MSPs) ask me for guidance on such topics as search engine optimization (SEO), Google Adwords, pay-per-click advertising campaigns and online marketing. Some of that chatter died down over the past year or two. (Maybe readers realized I was clueless.) But the SEO and online marketing chatter is starting up again — especially as MSP marketing budgets somewhat improve. Still, I wonder: Are MSPs really ready to master online marketing?
I pose the question based on two email that hit my inbox this week. First, Nimsoft‘s Phil LaForge and Ken Vanderweel sent across a blog describing how MSPs can transform their websites into lead generation systems and sales engines. Then, Ulistic‘s Stuart Crawford sent across a note describing his latest SEO service for VARS and MSPs. Vanderweel is a marketing master. LaForge is an MSP sales leader. Crawford is a former MSP-turned-social media expert.
Talent Pool
But I wonder: How many MSPs have in-house talent available to help drive SEO, social media and pay-per-click advertising programs?
When it comes to long-established tools like Google Adwords, I think many MSPs suffer from mass confusion (or mass denial). Folks like Ulistic, Kutenda and MSP University have worked hard to fill that void, teaching MSPs about SEO tools and tactics or building MSP-centric websites for their clientele.
But as the old saying goes: You can only lead a horse to water. You can’t make it drink.
During a webcast in early 2009, ConnectWise CEO Arnie Bellini mentioned a few Google Adwords tactics that drove success within his company. The webcast system nearly crashed (a slight exaggeration) as attendees piled on with Adwords questions. It made me realize: Most MSPs had yet to launch highly targeted, highly regional online advertising campaigns.
Three Baby Steps
So where do you start? I recommend three steps:
1. Your Web Site: Redeploy your web site on a platform that’s ALREADY search engine optimized. Before you pay thousands of dollars for a site developer who uses basic HTML templates, demand an industry standard platform like WordPress or Drupal. Those systems have so-called plugins that automate multiple SEO functions. Imagine that.
2. Your Goals: Ken and Phil at Nimsoft do a great job describing how to launch a campaign on your web site that captures traffic and qualified leads.
3. Your Target Audience: I’ve already mentioned a few SEO experts in the paragraphs above. But I also recommend opening up a Google Adwords account and playing around with the system for three months on your own. Set your online advertising budget at a scant $100 a month, choose your target terms, select your region, type in a text ad … then check the account each week. Don’t change a thing for the first month just to see how the Adwords perform. Switch things up every four weeks and measure your performance all the way through.
I concede: Adwords can be incredibly confusing. It’s easy to over-think the system. Instead, start simple: Four search terms, one ad, one region, a low monthly budget. Get started.
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Posted In: Asia | Australia | EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) | Marketing | North America | Sales
Tags: Arnie Bellini | ConnectWise | drupal | Google Adwords | Ken Vanderweel | Kutenda | MSP University | NimSoft | Online Marketing | Phil LaForge | Search Engine Optimization | SEO | Ulistic | WordPress
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JP. Thanks for the mention in this article. I am not sold on Adwords as a strategy for MSPs. They can be very costly if done incorrectly and most people I speak with turn their eyes to organic results first prior to the paid ads. As you mentioned in your article, SEO is something most MSPs need to understand. It is a science of sorts to do it correctly. Do it wrong and hit the Google sandbox and you may never be set free.
The first thing you must do is this! You have to make sure your website can convert visitors to prospects to PAYING clients. Social Media is the community tool, SEO and your website is where conversion occurs. Your website better be ready to convert visitors to prospects.
Once again, thanks for the mention in your article today.
Stuart Crawford
MSP SEO Packages
I know I have commented in the past about the importance of understanding marketing. Part of our growth in 2010 is contributed to having the team at Ulistic help us with understanding online marketing and even strategies in the channel. I highly recommend a simple phone call to Stuart at Ulistic and talk to him about SEO for your MSP.
Neil Jones.
Live Virtual Help Desk
Great article as always Joe. As you have all probably read the tools available to us all are changing and becoming part of our Business in a big way and can be complex at times. We have professionals in the MSP world that can be of incredible help to us to understand what works and does not work and where we should be targeting our Marketing efforts. I rely on stars like Ulistic (Thx. Stuart)and great reference sites like MSPmentor (Thx. Joe, for keeping us informed) and others everyday to help guide our marketing efforts. Google Adwords is the 3rd on the list of our Marketing “To Do List” everyday to check our Ad clicks, Impressions, Add Keywords, Pause Keywords and other maintenance. This is something you can learn over time and with experience but this all takes valuable time. I would recommend highly that you talk with the Professionals in our MSP World and enjoy what Marketing your company can do for you. The Best of Business in 2011.
Cheers,
Brian Burke-Gaffney
Marketing & Communications
Live Virtual Help Desk
Adwords can give an MSP *instant* first page visibility on major search engines. Organic SEO can take quite a bit of time to gain first page visibility and can be a costly undertaking. Adwords is something most persons can put into action over a beverage of choice. And Adwords comes with easy to use controls (including cost controls), for example, you decide what you’re willing to pay when a potential prospect clicks on your ad, you decide the time of day your ad is visible, you decide what your ad says, you decide the search terms that makes your ad visible to potential prospects, you decide where you want to take visitors on your website when they click on your ad, you decide the geography where your ad is visible, etc.
As Joe suggested (and so do I), experiment with Adwords at $100 a month. There are too many MSPs that have zero visibility in major search engines, that can be remedied instantly with Adwords (and over time with an organic SEO effort).
And I agree that prior to investing in Adwords or an organic search optimization effort make sure that your website converts visitors to prospects. That means you should point prospects clicking on your ads to web pages with compelling offers that they get in exchange for contact information.
Ken Vanderweel
Marketing Director – Service Providers
Nimsoft
Agreed, sound advice, Three simple steps that many people forget when they are busy running their business.
It’s a topic that interests me and so I wrote an article on the relative uses of PPC vs SEO which may be of interest.
Great article. There are always so many things for business owners to focus on, and not enough time to get everything accomplished. I understand all the buzzwords, and wanted to expand my online presence. Outsourcing to Ulistic gives me time to get this accomplished.
Josie Kocsis
Working World
Service Provider
Hey folks: Sorry for my silence on this comment trail. Ironically, I’ve been heads-down on SEO all day. Inexact science… But it certainly pays dividends.
For those who have weighed in with perspectives, I’d welcome a six-month reality check in June 2011. Let us know how your SEO, online marketing and sales efforts turned out.
Best
-jp
JP…shoemakers’ kids